Colorado State University Recieves Grant to Help Parents Who are Pursuing Degrees

Parents pursuing degrees may have lighter loads to shoulder thanks to a four-year, $268,296 grant aimed at increasing quality, access and affordability at two early childhood programs at Colorado State University.

The grant, provided by a federal program called Child Care Access Means Parents In School, will be used to create the Helping Hands Program at Colorado State. The Helping Hands program is designed to help with child care for low-income student parents while they pursue their education. The grant will be administered over a four-year period, with $67,124 distributed each year.

Individual grants from the Helping Hands program will be awarded to low-income student parents to aid in child care, tuition and other costs. Funds from the grant also will be used to reduce student tuition fees for child care, increase hours and days of operation of child care facilities and establish Saturday morning child care and a summer literacy program.

The Helping Hands program represents a unique collaboration between the Department of Human Development and Family Studies’ Early Child Childhood Laboratory and the University Children’s Center, a part of Discovery Land Children’s Centers Inc. Its goals are to provide Colorado State student parents and their children with childcare and family development programs that promote education and a positive self-concept while respecting the individuality of each family and child.

The Early Childhood Laboratory serves children ages 2 to 6 years old. The University Children’s Center serves children 6 weeks to 6 years old. Both centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

For more information about the Helping Hands program or to receive an application for the Early Childhood Laboratories, call (970) 491-7082. To receive an application for the University Children’s Center, call (970) 491-2862 or send e-mail to CSUKIDS@lamar.colostate.edu.